JUNEI know Edith was wishing well for me. Her advice was just simple. She wants me to leave the country, and stay away for like three years or more before I return. This way, the gossip would have dwindled. I might even change my looks and all that.But that isn't what I'm after. After all I did to get together with him, leaving unannounced won't help him at all, it will break his heart. He might not even forgive me when I return years later.Worse, he might have moved on from the heartbreak. What's to say that he will wait for my return? What guarantee is there in that?That was why I decided on what to do. Sacrificing my happiness for him means I've got to let go of one thing I love to do, well, that's when you exclude my uncle.Edith spoke of how difficult it was for him to pay my tuition, and I'm going to do something to help him out. I won't be a liability to him, not now. And freaking not ever. I won't let him regret taking this step with me. Having made the decision, I calle
KRISTENThis is not the plan I had. I never meant for any of this to happen.Why the fuck would she want a job?! I can provide for us both!I don't know for how long that will be, but I can hold us financially to a reasonable extent. I don't want her working!"Can I change your mind?" I asked, my heart getting heavier as time went by. I caressed her cheeks. "Can I do anything to revoke your decision?""No... nothing," June smiled softly, looking down, staring directly into my eyes. "I have already made up my mind... I will do it."I held her gaze. Who knew that love would cost so much? I don't regret admitting and displaying my love for her, I would never. But I feel like if I had kept my dick in my pants, maybe tried to be the adult, maybe her life wouldn't have been this bad.I never meant to hurt her. I will never hurt her."I can see the wheels turning in your head.""I can't stop thinking..." I looked at her with all the sadness making my heart heavy. "I am the cause of all thes
JUNEKristen never agreed to my plans, but it had already been decided. I'm not leaving the country. I'm staying here with him, fighting with him, fighting for him.He was so angry that he didn't speak to me last night. Even when he left this morning, he didn't even give me a peck on the cheek. But he made breakfast for me.A smile tugged at the side of my lips. Kristen might be angry with my decision, but he loves me so much to let me go hungry.I hurried had my bathe, and got dressed in a simple blue gown. I didn't bother with make-up and accessories. You can say I was just too tired to wear earrings.After I had my breakfast, I called Mark, who gave me the address of the first place he found for me. It's a Library not too far from Lakeridge Park. It was difficult for him to get a job for me at Rainier Beach Branch, but he did so with the help of his father.The pay isn't much, but it's something. At least I can start from there before I find another one, which Mark promised won't b
JUNEA beeping sound prompted me to open my eyes. I slowly peered at the ceiling, surprised to notice that I was indoors, not in the park. Hell, I was even expecting to find myself in hell because I know that's where I'm going.No deity will permit me to step into their Paradise. I was ready for it. Prepared to spend my years in hell.However, this place doesn't look like hell at all. There is no way in this green Earth that hell will turn out to have white ceilings and the unpleasant smell of disinfectant.What happened?How did I get to be here?I tried to sit up on the bed, but the pain that went through me caused me to lie back.Fucking hell. Not again. Is this how it's going to be?Each time I lose consciousness, I end up in the hospital with my body feeling like shit.“Oh, my! She's awake!” I heard a woman yell before the sounds of footsteps reached my ears.A young black woman came into focus, smiling kindly at me. Her golden brown skin and beautiful brown eyes made her look l
KRISTEN"No, I didn't tell her that!" I whispered fiercely like my voice was filtering through an amplifier. "I would never tell her to work!""I'm not saying you did." Edith was so calm about it. I don't think I have ever seen her worked up over something. She is so reserved and calculated, that sometimes it's almost scary. "What I am trying to say is... maybe you bleakly suggested or stated that your finance—""Edith, nooo," I suppressed the need to sigh. "I would never make June feel that I can't support us financially. I wouldn't think of doing that, even if I have just a dime left.""I'm just trying to cover all grounds." She seemed to be very deep in thought. "I don't know what to say right now."I didn't know what to say either. One minute it feels like everything would be okay, the other minute, my thoughts and feelings are mercilessly scattered.Only one thing makes me appreciate the condition I am in.I can clearly see who had been pretending to love or care for me. All the
JUNEI blinked at them, confused and desperately trying to grasp what they were talking about. Like, I just told them my mother's name and boom, they were speaking of another. “What are you talking about? Who the hell is Mary?” “Oh, give me a minute,” the man said before he started searching his pocket once more only to bring his wallet out. Hah, this must be a joke or something like that. Why….“Phew, I thought I'd lost it,” he mumbled as he brought a picture out of his wallet and gazed at it. “You still have her picture in your wallet?!” Favour shrieked. “Gosh, I can't believe you, Henry.” “Jealous of a dead woman, are you?” He leaned down to peck her on her left cheek. “She was my past, Favour. And you are my present, and future. You don't have to think that way." “Then, why is she still in your wallet? My picture is supposed to be there!” Favour folded her arms, scowling darkly. “I was guilty, okay? Seems it's time to let go of the past,” he confessed and pecked her once mor
JUNEDespite everything I was told, I wasn't ready to believe them until Favour suggested we have a DNA test, which Henry and I readily agreed to. According to the doctor, getting a result would take about twenty-four hours. So, I exchanged my number with them. They offered to drive me home, but I refused. Instead, I took a cab home, with my mind still on what I just learned. Should what Henry said turn out to be the truth, it could only mean that.....Kristen and I aren't related! What great news this will be. Now, we won't have to worry about the public and what they have to say about our relationship. I paid the cab driver with the only money I had left, grateful those damned thugs didn't touch it. Kristen wasn't in the house when I returned, so I hurriedly plugged my phone into the wall socket to power it up. I forgot to charge it last night, so it went off around mid-afternoon when I was still at the hospital. The moment I switched the phone on, I was bombarded with notifica
KRISTENWhat the fuck?!!"Why didn't you say something?!" I scoffed, my eyes wide in... surprise? shock? I don't know."I'm fine," she said quietly. There was a certain tiredness swirling around her like a mist. It's been so long since she looked this fed-up. "I guess it's just..." She suddenly stopped and looked up, frowning. "Kristen...""Yes, doll?" I shifted closer to her, now feeling slightly uncomfortable from what she was going to ask."The men who beat me at the park... " She knitted her brows and I moved closer until I could see the mole on her left cheek. "... they asked if I was ready to leave the country."She looked at me, locking my eyes in place. Our eyes widened at the same time."That sounds suspicious," June continued. As sudden as she said it, she waved it off, "Never mind.""No, doll. Talk to me." She made to get up but I pulled her back to the chair. "If there is anything you need to tell me, please say it.""I... I was thinking of something, but I just realized t